Reed-organ



(No Model.)

REED ORGAN.

Invenioz 2 ,g. g 8 m a 7 s w I D n w m P F I ll 4 1 I W T T J1 I Wnwsax ZM.% A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES AUSTIN, OF L()\VELL, NASSAUHUSETTS.

REED-ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,488, dated February '7, 1882. ApplicationfilcdAprillLlBSl. (Nomodch) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES AUSTIN, of Lowell, in the county of Middlcsex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reed- Organs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is applicable to a reed-organ in which the reeds are sounded by means of an exhaust-bellows, on the American system, so-called, and relates to the combination of a single inlet-valve with a plurality of connected reed-boxes, all arranged substantially as described; also, to the combination of a single inlet-valve and a plurality of connected reed-boxes with a single tracker-pin and keylever, all arranged substantially as described; also, to the combination of a plurality of reedboxes connected with each other and an equal number of independent wind-chests, each having a separate exhaust-valve; also, to the combination otthe wind chests with the reed-boxes, arranged in front of the wind-chests and one over another.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical cross-section, on the line a a: in Fig. 2, of the wind-chests and key-lever; and Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section of the reed-boxes and wind-chests, and shows the valves, trackenpin, outlets, inlets, air-passages, reeds, and key-lever of a single set of reed-boxes and wind-chests, constructed and arranged as hereinafter described.

The key-lever A and traekenpin B are of the usual construction and operation, 0 being the fulcrum of said key-lever. D1) are windchests communicating with the reed-boxes E E, respectively, by means of the air-passagesfif respectively, (butnotcommunicating with each other except through said reed-boxes,) and placed one above the other. The number of wind-chests corresponds to the number of reedboxes. Each wind-chest communicates with any suitable exhaust-bellows by means of outlets g g, which outlets are closed by the exhaust-valves G G, respectively, and as these valves operate independently of each other, one exhaust valve, G, may be opened, while the other exhaust-valves of the same set of windehests remain closed, so as to exhaust one windchest only of the set. Of course, therefore, all

havethe air drawn from them at the same time.

The valves G G are opened and closed by suitable stops, which may connect with the arms 2 2, attached to the bearing-rods t t, on which the valves turn.

Directly in front of the wind-chests are an equal number of reed-boxes, E E. The air is admitted to the upper reed-box, E, through the passagef whenever the key-lever A, being depressed, raises the valve F by pressing upward the tracker-pin B against said last-named valve, perfect contact between the valve F, when closed, and the top of the reed-box E being secured by the spring S, pressing upon said valve in the usual manner. The wind so admitted passes through the reed c, sounding the same, and through the passagef into the wind-chest D and out of the outlet 9, it the valve G be open and the bellows be in operation. It the valve G be also open, a part of the wind passes down through the passage f into the reed-box E, through the reed c, sounding the same, through the passagef into the windchest D, and out of the passage 9. It will be seen that any number of reed-boxes containing reeds which agree in pitch but ditt'e'r in quality of tone may thus be placed one above another, each reed box communicating with a separate wind-chest, and that any or all of these reeds may be sounded at once by the operation of a single key-lever after opening the valves G G of the wind-chests corresponding with the boxes containing said reeds. It is also evident that no more eflort is required (in tingering) to sound all the reeds which are supplied with air by a single valve, F, than to sound one of them, whereas,if each reed-box had a separate inlet and all the reeds were desired to speak at once, it would be necessary to press upon the key with force enough to raise a large valve covering all the inlets and exposing a much greater surface to the pressure of the wind. Hence the action of my organ is not only much easier when a number of reeds are sounded at once, but the action is uniform, requiring at all times the same amount of pressure upon the keys. The tracker-pin passes from the key lever to the under side of the valve F, through the wind-chests,within an airtight tube, or through partitions l l, either extending only partly across the chests, or provided with apertures, as shown in Fig. 1, but reaching from top to bottom of the chests, respectively. The object of this tube or partition is to preven t the wind-chestsfrom lcakingwhere the tracker-pin enters and leaves them.

The valvesl 1 coverapextures through which the reeds are introduced to and removed from the reed-boxes, and are closed by the suction of the air through the reed-boxes.

I claim as my in\'ention 1. The combination of a single inlet-valve, F, with a plurality of connected reed-boxes, E E, all arranged substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a single inlet-vali'e, F, and a plnralityof connected reed-boxes,E E,

with a single tracker-pin, B, and key-lever A, all arranged substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a plurality of reedboxes, E E, connected with each other, and an equal numberofindependent wind-chests, D D, each having a separate exhaust- 'alvc, G- G, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the wind-chests D D with the reed-boxes E E, arranged in front of the wind-chests and one over another, as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES AUSTIN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT M. Moonn, ELI B. CARLTON. 

